Page 106 - HEART OF DARKNESS

Heart of Darkness

deficiencies, and thus a subtle bond had been created, of
which I only became aware when it was suddenly broken.
And the intimate profundity of that look he gave me
when he received his hurt remains to this day in my

memory— like a claim of distant kinship affirmed in a
supreme moment.
‘Poor fool! If he had only left that shutter alone. He
had no restraint, no restraint—just like Kurtz—a tree
swayed by the wind. As soon as I had put on a dry pair of
slippers, I dragged him out, after first jerking the spear out
of his side, which operation I confess I performed with my
eyes shut tight. His heels leaped together over the little
doorstep; his shoulders were pressed to my breast; I
hugged him from behind desperately. Oh! he was heavy,
heavy; heavier than any man on earth, I should imagine.
Then without more ado I tipped him overboard. The
current snatched him as though he had been a wisp of
grass, and I saw the body roll over twice before I lost sight
of it for ever. All the pilgrims and the manager were then
congregated on the awning-deck about the pilot-house,
chattering at each other like a flock of excited magpies,
and there was a scandalized murmur at my heartless
promptitude. What they wanted to keep that body
hanging about for I can’t guess. Embalm it, maybe. But I

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